President Droupadi Murmu appoints retired SC Judge Justice S. Abdul Nazeer as Governor of Andhra Pradesh

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday appointed retired Supreme Court Judge Justice S. Abdul Nazeer as Governor of Andhra Pradesh while the present governor Harichandan Viswabhushan has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Chhattisgarh.

Justice Nazeer was part of the judgement related to Ayodhya-Babri Masjid dispute (part of the unanimous verdict allowing construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed place).

He was also part of prominent judgments in the KS Puttaswamy case (which held right to privacy a fundamental right), triple talaq case,



demonetisation case (led the Constitution Bench which upheld the note-ban decision as valid). He also led the Constitution Bench which held that additional restrictions not found in Article 19(2) cannot be imposed on the right to free speech of ministers and legislators.

Justice Nazeer retired on January 4.

Born into a Muslim family belonging to the Kanara region of Karnataka, he grew up in Beluvai/Moodbidri and completed his B.Com degree at Mahaveera College, Moodbidri. He later obtained a law degree from SDM Law College, Kodialbail, Mangaluru.